Fans make most of ‘Navami’ night

KOLKATA: A huge crowd, serpentine queues and a last-minute rush to catch the best films — the penultimate day at the 20th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) reflected the Navami spirit. Film lovers, it seemed, were not ready to let go of the final chance to watch some good films. But it was not just about the films on Sunday, but also the seminars, the food stalls and adda sessions, which are so much a part of the city’s culture.
The day began with ‘Self-Made’ by Israeli filmmaker Shira Geffen. It drew a huge crowd, which spilled over to the staircase. It was followed by Sohini Dasgupta’s ‘Chhoti Moti Batein’, a favourite in the newly introduced competitive section for women directors. The film explores the relationship and experiences of two sisters who cut themselves off from the world after their father’s death. It left the audience spellbound. College student Debarati Saha said she was pleasantly surprised by the treatment of the subject. “It was refreshingly different and a brave attempt to look at a situation. I loved the film. It deserves an award,” she gushed.
There was more in store. Chinese film ‘Coming Home’ by Zhang Yimou had the audience captivated. A poignant tale of a political prisoner who returns home to find that his wife doesn’t remember him, the film explored a sensitive issue. “It left me in tears. This is the best of Asian cinema and we were lucky to have watched the film that was released just this year. I wish we had a whole section dedicated to Chinese cinema,” said Aniruddha Kar, a private firm employee, who has been queueing up every morning to buy tickets.
For many others, the festival has been a platform to meet up other cinema-lovers and discuss films. Watching is just a part, you also need to talk and find out about cinema before you actually get down to watching it, felt Sujay De, a Behala resident. “Leafing through the brochures is not enough. You need to speak to people who know and follow world cinema. And what better time to do it than the festival? Once you know about the film and the director, it is a pleasure to watch a film,” said De, who loved Amos Gitai and Niki Karimi’s films at the festival. “Iranian films are always a delight to watch. This time, it was nice to catch up on a few by Karimi, who is a woman,” he said.